BIMSTEC Security Chiefs Meet In Delhi; Ajit Doval Holds Strategic Bilaterals With Neighbours
BIMSTEC Security Chiefs Meet In Delhi; Ajit Doval Holds Strategic Bilaterals With Neighbours Reported By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 17:19 IST Hosted by NSA
BIMSTEC Security Chiefs Meet In Delhi; Ajit Doval Holds Strategic Bilaterals With Neighbours Reported By, Last Updated: July 16, 2026, 17:19 IST Hosted by NSA Ajit Doval in New Delhi on July 16, the meeting was attended by national security delegations from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Rapid Read NSA Ajit Doval on Thursday chaired the fifth BIMSTEC Security Chiefs' meeting, hosting top-level intelligence and security officials from across the Bay of Bengal region to reinforce regional stability. Security Adviser Ajit Doval held a series of bilateral meetings with senior security officials from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand on the sidelines of the fifth BIMSTEC Security Chiefs’ Meeting, addressing specific security concerns with each country, top government sources told CNN-News18. The meeting was held in New Delhi on July 16 and hosted by Doval. It was attended by heads of delegation from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. According to government sources, while multilateral summits provide a platform for broad declarations and regional consensus, much of the actionable work takes place during bilateral discussions. Doval held multiple such meetings on July 15, a day before the BIMSTEC conclave, allowing India to take up specific maritime, border, intelligence and cyber-security concerns with key regional partners.
Government sources said the bilateral meetings were not merely diplomatic formalities but part of a calculated effort to secure India’s perimeter, deepen bilateral trust and strengthen regional security cooperation. Maritime Security Focus In Talks With Sri Lanka Doval’s meeting with Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired) focused on security along India’s southern maritime frontier. Sri Lanka is located close to major shipping routes in the Indian Ocean, making security cooperation with Colombo important for protecting sea lines of communication and monitoring foreign naval activity in the region. The discussions were aimed at strengthening maritime coordination and deepening security cooperation between the two countries, sources said. India, Thailand Discuss Intelligence And Cyber Cooperation During his meeting with Thailand’s Security Council Secretary General Chatchai Bangchuad, Doval discussed intelligence-sharing, coordination between law enforcement agencies and cybersecurity cooperation. The talks were aimed at giving operational depth to India’s “Act East" policy and strengthening cooperation against transnational security threats. The two sides also linked regional security with connectivity projects, including the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway. Sources said large cross-border infrastructure projects require coordinated security mechanisms to facilitate the movement of people and goods while preventing their misuse by organised criminal networks.
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